This is part of a global initiative designed to equip young people with essential workplace skills.
To address the challenge of youth unemployment, which affect millions of people around the world and is a large contributor to global poverty, Nestlé and its regional partners have joined forces to launch the Regional Alliance for Youth in sub-Saharan Africa to promote employability for young people.
Partnering ABB, Nielsen, Adcorp, Life Healthcare and Publicis, Nestlé launched the Regional Alliance for Youth in Sub-Saharan Africa in Johannesburg as part of a long-term commitment in improving employability of youth in the region.
Alliance partners are like-minded organisations focused on the achieving key goals which are, helping young people navigate the rapidly changing work environment and combining efforts and resources to create a more meaningful impact.
The alliance will focus on creating and implementing employability programmes, mentorship and training initiatives designed to equip young people with essential workplace skills. Companies across the region, irrespective of size, operation or turnover, are therefore urged to join the Alliance.
“We believe that investing in youth is vital for thriving, resilient communities, and helps to build our business too,” says Rémy Ejel, market head for Nestlé Central and West Africa. “Young people are the next generation of employees who will keep our company competitive, the farmers who will grow the crops we need, and the entrepreneurs who will help us reach new markets, regardless of their field or level of expertise. This is just the beginning,” he added.
This joint effort is part of the company’s business-driven movement ‘Alliance for YOUth’ with a focus on creating and implementing employability programs, mentorship and training designed to equip young people with essential workplace skills.
According to the United Nations, young people aged 15-24 account for one out of every six people globally, with 20% of the total youth population living in Africa alone. This demographic trend goes along with increased unemployment rate among youth. In sub-Saharan Africa, it reached nearly 30% in 2016, as a report by the International Labour Organization shows. Without a concerted action, it is expected that nearly 50% of youth in the region will be unemployed by 2025,
The Regional Alliance for Youth in Sub-Saharan Africa is an expansion of the Alliance for Youth which was founded by Nestlé in Europe in 2014, and has since been launched in Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and subsequently other countries around the world, most recently in Côte d’Ivoire, Angola and South Africa.
